Butter-cutting machine.



w. H. ROBINSON. BUTTER CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, 1911. RENEWED SEPT. 16, 1912.

1,047,298, Patented Dec. 17, 1912.

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W. H. ROBINSON.

BUTTER CUTTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, 1911. RENEWED SEPT,16, 1912.

1,047,298. Patented Dec. 17, 1912.

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WILLIAM H. ROBINSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BUTTER-CUTTING- MACHINE.

memes.

Application filed. May 18, 1911, Serial No. 627,982.

' nism for the shaping and impressing of a monogram or other imprintupon the butter tablets; also for the compression, cut-off and deliveryof the tablets, and a suitable machine for performing these functions.

The relative shape, size and delivery of the tablets is dependent on themachine whose function as hereinafter claimed is variable, and may beconstructed to deliver any shape, impression and size of tablet; alsothe number delivered per minute may be increased or decreased by varyingthe tablet pockets in the head of the cylinder, likewise the number cutoff per revolution is variable and may be varied by a suitableconstruction of the cam surfaces as hereinafter described.

Referring to the drawings which form a part of my specification, Figure1 is a plan view of my improved invention showing the material holdingcylinder in part section. Fig. 2 is a part plan section, taken throughthe cylinder and operating mechanism. "Fig. 3 is a side elevationillustrating the manner of operating the cams and plungers. Fig. 4 is afront end View with the crank detached. Fig. 5 is a section, taken online AA looking toward the cylinder and showing the cutting knives inposition. It also shows the opening beneath the cylinder through whichthe butter drops. Fig. 6 is an end section looking toward the cylindercutting through the cam surfaces and its engaging pawl. Fig. 7 is an endview of the two details of the indent wheel and a section of the pawllocked in position. Fig. 8 is a detail of a locking collar with itssquare shoulder for engaging the cutter blade. Fig. 9 is a sectionthrough the tablet holes, cutter blade and actuating mechanism.

The invention as herein described comprises a bed plate 20 having theholding down lugs 20, and attached to its upper surface is the requiredmechanism, the butter cylinder at one end and the shaft bearingSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 13,1912.

Renewed September 16, 1912. Serial No. 720,675.

at the other. The butter cylinder or material receptacle 21 is circularin shape and is surrounded by a water cooled jacket 21 to which areattached the usual cooling water pipes.

The material is carried forward by the tablet forming plunger 22,integral and carried upon the push rod 23. The function of this memberis to compress and push forward the contained material through thetablet holes under the action of the ratchet bar 24, and thereby feedingsuccessively the material contained.

The operating features of the mechanism comprise a crank and handle 25attached to a shaft 26, to which shaft is attached the pawl and pincarrier 27, for operating the compression plate cam 23, and feeding barcam 29. The pins 30 and 31 rotate and engage the cam surfaces as shownin my drawings at 27 and 27 twice each revolution, although it will beunderstood there is no limit to the number of cams except theconstruction features. The cam plate 28 car ries integral on its forwardsurface the monogram compression plungers 28 whose function is tocompress the material previously pushed into the tablet pockets. Thesurface of these compression plungers may have an imprint or monogramfor forming the butter. The plunger 22 contained within the cylinderalso carries similar and oppositely placed cylinders which fit intothese said pockets to form the imprint. Referring to Fig. 2, which is asection in detail of these parts, the shaft 26 herein shown, carries atits shoulder end the cam 32, said cam is attached to the tube 33, andlocked by the screw 34, to thehead of the cylinder 21, hence these partsare all stationary to the r0- tating shaft 26. The indent wheel 35 isalso rotatably supported upon tube 33. This wheel 35 contains the samenumber of indents as are tablet holes contained in the cylinder head.These indents are fully shown in Fig. 7 In this machine eight holes andeight indents are illustrated, there is no limit, however, to theirincreased number, except the construction features of the machine. Atthe opposite end of this indent wheel 35 a recess 35 is cut, into whichis fitted the locking collar 36. Said collar is held in position free toslide lengthwise by the screw 37 and turns with this indent wheel. It ispushed forward against the cylinder head by the pressure spring 38.

The cutter blade 39 fully shown in Fig. 5, is circular in form and madeof sheet metal, likewise contains eight recesses carrying one knife edge39 to each opening through which the butter passes successively. Afterthe butter is pushed forward into the stationary position, this cutterblade is quickly revolved through the agency of the indent wheel 35 andcrank 25. Special attention is called to the accessibility of theassembly of this locking collar with the cutter blade 39. The lockingsurfaces are square and by slipping back the part 36, first havingdetached it from the cylinder head, a new blade may very readily beinserted. The mechanism for feeding and compressing the materialcomprises the piston plunger 22, attached to push rod 23, and ratchetbar 24, said bar is fitted to the feed bar cam 29, carrying theoperating cam. The engagement of this feed bar cam 29 with the ratchetbar 24 is through the shiftable pawls 40-40, which pawls are held inposition by springs 46 and 47 WVhen the crank 25 is turned the pincarrier 27 is revolved and in its proper timing pushes the feed bar cam29 forward, carrying with it all its cooperating members and pushingforward the contained material into the tablet pockets in the head ofthe cylinder. For convenience of operation and to reseat this bar, aspring 41 is compressed between it, and the internal cut collar 42. Allthe said parts are carried by the bearing box 43 at its outer end. Ateach revolution of the crank the parts 28 and 29 are carried through thestroke twice and reseated by the springs 41 and 44. To prevent thereturn of the ratchet bar 24, due to friction on the sides of feed barcam 29, the pawl 48 is placed at the rear end of the cylinder 21 andheld in engagement against the ratchet bar by spring 45 preventing itsbackward return.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The bar 24 and its attachedparts are withdrawn; the cylinder 21 is filled with the material orbutter and the plunger re placed. The operator turning the crank 25rotates the attached pin carrier 27 and forcing first the cam plate 28to seat in the tablet holes. On further revolving said shaft, pin 31engages the part 29 and draws forward the plunger 22 compressing thematerial within the cylinder sufficiently to fill these tablet holes andimpress on their forward surface the monogram desired. Immediately afterhaving compressed the tablet the cam plate 28 recedes, the pawl 46 dropsinto the cam slot 49, allowing the square end of this pawl, shown inFig. 7, to drop into the indent 35 thereby turning the knife cuttingparts the length of this cam slot to cut off the butter, it beingunderstood that this cam slot is stationary. Upon further turning ofthis part, the pawl 46 is forced up and out releasing the indent wheel35 and its carrier parts from further revolution. This operation ofcutting the butter is timed. to take place when the parts are in theirnormal open position. The cycle of operation as here described iscontinuous twice every revolution but by increasing the number of holesand cam surfaces and their corresponding indents on wheel 35 acorresponding increase of capacity may be obtained. Also itwill be notedthat the butter forming pockets or tablet pockets may be of any deslredshape. The butter tablets drop through the hole 20 in the base 20 andare collected underneath the base. It will also be noticed that theplunger or piston carries a plurality of button shaped projections whichproject a distance equal to the distance of the cylinder head, so thatwhen the plunger moves in contact with the inner surface of the cylinderhead, the last of the butter con tained in the cylinder will be forcedtherefrom through said opening and the faces of the said projectionswill then lie flush with the outer surface of the cylinder head, so thatno further butter remains in the cylinder.

It will further be understood that the movement of the piston is such asto displace the exact quantity of butter necessary to form the number oftablets that are cut off by each movement of the cutter, so that thetablets will be formed of a definite quantity of butter and of perfectshape.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. A butter cutting machine comprising a cylinder having openings at oneend, a plunger in said cylinder, a knife located adjacent the openingsin said cylinder, a cam plate serving as an abutment for the ingredientforced from the cylinder, a shaft, and means actuated thereby for movingsaid plunger toward said openings in the cylinder, moving said cam platetoward said openings, and for moving said knife across said openings.

2. A butter cutting machine comprising a cylinder having openings at oneend, a plunger in said cylinder, a knife located adj acent the openingsin said cylinder, a cam plate serving as an abutment for the ingredientforced from the cylinder, a shaft, and means actuated thereby foralternately mov ing said plunger toward said openings in the cylinder,moving said cam plate toward said openings, and for moving said knifeacross said openings.

3. A butter cuttingmachine comprising a cylinder having openings at oneend, a plunger in said cylinder, a feed bar cam for actuating saidplunger and parts, a knife located adjacent to the openings in saidcylinder, a cam plate having characters impressed thereon and locatedopposite said openings in the cylinder and serving as an abutment forthe ingredient forced from the cylinder, a shaft, and means actuatedthere by for alternately moving said plunger toward said openings in thecylinder, moving said cam plate toward said opening, and for moving saidknife across the openings.

4.. A butter cutting machine comprising a cylinder having openings atone end, a plunger in said cylinder, a feed bar cam for actuatingsaidplunger and parts, a knife located adjacent the openings in saidcylinder, a cam plate serving as an abutment for the ingredients forcedfro-m the cylinder, a shaft, and means actuated thereby movingalternately said cam plate toward the cylinder, and for alternatelymoving a plunger in said cylinder and for moving said knife across saidopenings alternately with said plungers.

5. A butter cutting machine comprising a cylinder having openings at oneend, a plunger in said cylinder, a feed bar cam for actuating saidplunger and parts, a knife located adjacent the openings in saidcylinder, a cam plate serving as an abutment for the ingredient forcedfrom the cylinder, a pin carrier and actuating tube, an indent wheel forcontrolling the knife, means for detaching said knife from its actuator,and

- a rotary means for alternately actuating said plunger and cam platefor shaping the material to alternately cooperate with said knife.

6. A butter cutting machine comprising a cylinder having openings at oneend, a plunger in said cylinder, a feed bar cam for actuating saidplunger and parts, a knife located adjacent the openings in saidcylinder, a cam plate having characters impressed thereon and serving asan abutment for the ingredient forced from the cylinder, and a returnspring for limiting its normal position, a pressure spring forcontrolling the feed bar cam against the pin carrier, and a springabutment and actuating means setting the parts in motion.

7. The combination in a butter machine comprising a cylinder andcylinder head with perforated holes of suitable shape and spacing andopen at opposite end, a plunger in said cylinder and attached to acontroller ratchet bar, a feed bar cam for actuating said plunger andparts, a knife located adjacent to, rotating about and moving across theopenings in said cylinderfor cutting the material, a knife controllingthe parts, an indent Wheel, spring, and controlling collar forpreserving a normal pressure of knife against the cylinder, a stationarytwo slot cam for timing the cut-out indent pawl, thereby limiting thecutting arc of the knife.

8. A butter cutting machine comprising a cylinder having a head withopenings therein, a plunger in said cylinder, rods connecting saidplunger and extending along the sides of the cylinder, a shaft, acircular cutter located adjacent to said openings, a cam plate, a pincarrier for actuating said cam plate, a feed bar cam mounted on saidshaft, a cam slot wheel an indent wheel, a pawl carried by said pmcarrier to engage said indent wheel, and means for successively movingsaid circular cutter a predetermined distance as controlled by the camslot and indent wheel, for each revolution of said shaft.

9. A butter cutting machine comprising a cylinder having a head withopenings therein, a plunger in said cylinder, a ratchet bar,

a tube rigidly connected to said cylinder head, an indent wheelrotatably mounted on said tube, a cam slot wheel fixedly mounted on saidtube, a pin carrier carrying a pawl adapted to engage with said indentwheel. and said cam slot wheel, a circular cutter located adjacent saidcylinder head, means connecting said cutter and said indent wheel, afeed bar cam connecting with said ratchet bar, and a shaft extendingthrough said feed bar cam and connected to said pin carrier to actuatesame and through said indent wheel to actuate the cutter, and piston intimed relation as set forth.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, this 13th day of May A. I). 1911.

WILLIAM H. ROBINSON.

Witnesses:

FRANK M. AsHLEY, GEORGE DOAN RUssELL.

Copies of this patent may b2 obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. O

